Airplane



Patented Oct. 27, `1925..

UNiTEDsTATEs PATENT oFFicE.

WILLIAM B. STOUT, OF DETROIT, IlilHCHIGAN, .ASSIGNOR T PACKARD MOTO'RCAR COM- y PANY, DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION 0F MICHIGAN.

AIRPLA'NE.

Original application led March 2, 1918, Serial No. 220,070. Divided andthis application filed April 8,

1921. Serial No. 459,641. f

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. SroU, a citizen of the United States, andresiding at Detroit, Wayne County, State of Michigan, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Airplanes, of which the followingis a specification.

The present application which is a division of my application, SerialNo. 220,070,

-0 filed March 2, 1918, relates to airplanes and more particularly tothe ribs thereof.

The principal. object of the invention is to provide a rib structurewhich can be manufacturedfwitli a minimum of time and labor 5 and whichhas maximum strength for a given weight. Other objects and features ofthe invention will be apparent from the description taken in connectionwith the drawings, in whici'i:

Figure l is a perspective view of a metal rib constructed in accordancewith the present invention and shown as having a bendable strip attachedto the lower member thereof together with means for flexing this lattermember to change the cambei` of the rib;

Figure 2 is a perspective View similar to Figure 3 showing a similarform of rib but with the upper member thereof provided with a bendablestrip;

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on the line 3 3 ofFigure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation takenl substantially on the` line 4-4of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a sectional elevation taken substantially onthe line 54-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 0 -is a side elevation of a rib similar to that shown by Figure lexcept that the bendable strip is supported at three points aiid'extendssubstantially `from end to en d of the rib; y

Figure 7 is a side elevation of a stamped or pressedI out metal rib; andFigure 8 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on` the line 8-8of Figure 7. Referring to Figure 7 I have shown a novel forinof rib orbeam which is designed to be stamped or pressed out from sheet metal.lAs illustrated, this rib is of channel'crosssection and comprises thetopmeinber or-liange 33 and the bottom member or flange 34 connected bythe web and preferably integral with the web. This web is formedwitli'the flanged apertures 36, the

sockets secured in the socket '43 by means such as a l pin Awhile therear end 1s free'to slide' flanges 37 of which are preferably struck outfrom the web and interposed between and lic substantially in the planedetermined by the top and bottom flanges and constitutereinforcingmembers or rings. As shown,

these reinforcing members or rings are in contact with the flanges andwith one another. In order to increase the rigidity and strength of thebeam the part-s are secured together at these points of contact in anvsuitable manner 'as bywelding. Of course the top and bottom members andthe entire beam are constructed to-. give the proper cambcr to the rib.As is obvious, a rib or l beam constructed in this manner is exceedinglystrong and rigid for the amount of ii'iaterial or weight used.

In Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 I have shown a rib of the type justdescribed, but with the .added feature of means for changing the camberthereof. Referring now to Figure 1 it will be seen'that the rib properis of channel shape in cross section and is intended to bc formed lbybeing stamped or pressed out from sheet metal. It comprises the top'flange or member 38 and the bottoml member 39, connected by the web 40,which is formed with the flanged apertures 4l. These latter flanges 41consitiite reinforcing menibei-s or rings and are interposed between thetop and bottom members and welded thereto and to each other. Preferablythe flanges 41 are struck up from the web. As

clearly shown in Figure 1 the front portionof the lower member 39 isoffset toward the top member 3S, thus forming a recess. At the ends ofthis recess, socket pieces 42 and are provided and a bendable strip 44is arranged with vits ends mounted in said The forward end of the stripis longitudinally in the socket 42. The rib is carried by a tubular spar27 which extends through the saine between the top and bottom membersand which is formed with an aperture 28 through which extends a radialarm 30 carriedV by la tubeI 29. rotat-ively mounted in the spar. Asshown, the spar is mounted in one of the aperturesl 41 being secured tothe Harige 44 in any suitable manner. The strip 44 carries airbrackct orfitting 32 anda link 31 operatively connect-s4 the said bracket, and thelll arm so that rotation of the tube 29 varies the curvature of thestrip 44 thereby changing the camber of the rib.

Figure 2 illustrates a construct-ion similar to that shown by Figure lexcept that the bendable strip is carried by the upper member of therib. In this form of the invention the channel shaped stamped metal ribhas its upper member 4G at the forward portion thereof offset towardsthe lower member 46 to thereby form a recess. At the ends of this recess,the rib is formed with socket pieces 47'and 48 and a bendable strip 49is lmounted withl its ends seated in the said be formed in a similarmanner, as shown in' Figure 4. Likewise the sockets 43 and 48 i may beformed by bending up a piece intetegral with the rib as illustrated inFigure 5. ln Figure G I have illustrated a stamped -metal rib having oneof its flanges offset vtowards the other for the greater part of itslength to forma recess in which is arranged a bendable strip supportedat three points. be attached to either the top or bottom mem ber, T haveshown only the latter form. The lower member 50 of the rib is offsettowards the upper member 51, as shown, and adjacent the nose of the ribthere Vis provided the socket piece 52, and at the tail end the socket53. Midway between thesetwo sockets is a sup-port 54. The bendable stripis mounted in these sockets and support, being held securely in thesupport 54 by a pin 5G, but free to slide inthe sockets 52 and 53. Forthe purpose of changing the camber of the rib I have shown the bracket32 attached to the strip at a point intermediate the socket 52 andsupport 54. This bracket 32 is the same as that already described and isadapted to be moved towards and from the rib by any suitable mechanism,preferably the same 'as described in connection with Figures l and 2. Itwill be observed that the movement of the bracket 32l will fleX thestrip 55 between the socket 52 and support 54 and will also cause anopposite curvature of the portion of the bracket between the Support 54and socket 53. The socket `52 and 53 and support 54 may be formed inthesame manner as the `sockets described above.

It is apparent that the connection between the rotatably, mounted tube29 and the bendable member of the rib may be made in Various ways. Asshown in Figures 1 and Although the bendable strip may as arches inresisting bending of the rib vertically. rlhus the added rigiditybecause of the rings is greater than if the same amount of metal wereused in the plane of the web. rMoreover the metal of the web bent up toform the portions of the flanges 3T and 4l that are adjacent themarginal flanges of the ribs, is .farther from the neutral axis of theribthan if said metal remained in the plane ot' the web. Hence themoment of inertia of the cross section (such as shown in Figure 8) isincreased, and the resistance to Vertical bending also increased Thisfeature is clearly apparent 'from an inspection of Figure 8. If themetal forming flanges 337 were not pressed out but remained in the planeof the web V35, the moment of inertia-of the section would be less thanthat of the section oit Figure 8, wherein the flanges 37 are disposed asfarfrom the neutral axis of the beam as possible.

The rings or flanges 37 and 4l considered eitherwith or without the webportions in effect constitute struts between the top and bottom membersof the rib.

-F rom the foregoing description it is apparent that I have providedribs especially adapted for quantity and standardized productions. Themetal ribl or" this invention can be manufactured by automaticmachinery, there being a minimum of hand labor required. Futhermore, ifthe rib is stamped out of' sheet metal it can be produced in a fractionof the time required for thc old style wooden rib. The tedioustimeconsuming steps of selecting and bending thewood, shaping the parts,gluing, etc., are entirely eliminated; also the period of a year o-rmore required to season the Wood.

The feature of changing the camber is not claimed herein, the sameconstituting part of the subject matter of my prior appli-- cation,Serial No. 220,070.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by' in the plane determined by said members.

2'. A rigid metal rib for airplanes comasesina prising top and bottommembers and rigid reinforcing' rings interposed between, in contact withand joined to, and arranged in the plane determined by said members andalso joined to each other.)

3. Ametal rib for airplanes 'comprising a web having a fla eat the topand bottom edges thereof const1tuting top and bottom members, said webformed with flanged apertures, the latter anges being interposed betweenand welded to said members and lacting to reinforce the same and stifenthe web.

L A metal rib for airplanes comprising a web having a Iiange at the topand bottom edges thereof constltuting top and bottom members,` said webformed with circular flanged apertures, the latter flanges beinginterposed between and welded to said members and acting to reinforcethe same and stifi'en the web. l

5. As an article of manufacture, a metal beam of channel cross sectionhaving a web and top' and bottoni flanges, the web being formed with aplurality of flanged apertures the 'latter flanges being interposedbetween and in contact with -said top and bottom ianges and acting toreinforce said top and bottom flanges and stilen the web.A

` 6.` As an article of 'manufacture a stamped sheet metal beam ofchannel section having reinforcing members struck up from the web,interposed between and welded to the flanges thereof. i

7. As an `article of manufacture, a

- comprising Va. web, longitudinal marginal anges struck up at an anglethereto and .circula-r reinforcing members struck up from .the web andinterposed between and/in contact with said flanges* 10. As an articleof -manufacture, an integral airplane rib made fro-msheet materialcomprising aweb, longitudinal marginal anges struck up at an anglethereto and arch-shaped reinforcing members struck up from the web andin contact with and interposed between said flanges.

*11. As an article of manufacture,pan integral airplanerib made fromsheet material comprising a web, longitudinalA marginal flanges struckup at an angle thereto v and reinforcing members struck up fromthe weband interposed between and welded to said flanges. y Y

In testimony whereof I hereunto atlix my signature. v

